


Braved Journey

by KittyonCRACK



Category: Brave (2012), Disney - All Media Types, Disney Princesses, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-11-04 13:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10991454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyonCRACK/pseuds/KittyonCRACK
Summary: Merida, in an attempt to prove her worth and to prove to her mother she has no need for a suitor (especially one chosen FOR her) just yet, sets off on a quest provided by one of Gandalf's "suggestions." However, with the company she is in and who she will meet further on, will she find a beau of her liking?





	1. The Unlikely Offer of Suitors

In a dwarven castle located between the mountains and the Faragon Forest a young, half-blooded princess cursed under her breath in irritation as young Merida groaned while throwing herself onto her bed; it had been nearly a year since her refusal of the dwarven suitors and the whole turning her mum into a bear. Since Merida had shown no signs of being attracted to any of the dwarves in her father’s small kingdom, Merida’s mother had gotten it into her head that maybe her daughter would prefer a look to the more refined sort of suitor, such as elves from the lands her mother hailed. The Elven queen, Lady Elinor, would know many suitor possibilities due to being of fine heritage since she was sister to his Lord Elrond. Also, since Merida was just as proficient and enjoyed a bow more than any of the Dwarf battle axes or blades, her mum had the idea it would give her more to talk to with Elvish suitors than the rather disjointed group of suitors from the dwarf clans and groups that were allies with them from across the sea. 

Merida sighed as she turned to her back; she had nothing against elves per say, her mother was an elf, making Merida and her wee brothers the only known mixed dwarf and elf children birthed in all of Middle Earth. True, her father was so tall and stout it had been contemplated, and still was contemplated, that he was part man and part dwarf even with being the spitting image of his father. The point being that Elves were so damned prim and proper! Not to mention since most disliked dwarves, there would be a good chance many would be rude to her father, her, and their people. Elves judged far too much and were far too dignified and showed little to no emotion, a harsh contrast to the dwarves who had little to no tact. The same mannerisms Merida had developed herself besides her occasional flair of wisdom that, no doubtedly, came from her mother. Many a time visiting her Uncle Elrond when she was but a wee lamb, Merida had to attend court and listen to the gossip of how her mother had scandalously married a dwarf and had “the offspring of dwarven filth” and had no desire to listen to those cruel words again from someone she may have to wed.

Merida turned to her side; she had no desire to marry someone chosen for her. Her mother had set the example she had dreamed of when she was small; as a high lady in the elven court and the sister of his lord King Elrond, Elinor had princes and lords flocking to her, presenting her with priceless gifts and she instead found love in the oversized dwarf known as Fergus whom she thought was naught but a blacksmith, who she later discovered to be the Bear King, ruler of a group of dwarves that had found a seemingly innocuous mountain that boarded a forest and was filled with a never ending chasm of priceless stones. Merida’s mother had loved her father so she had given up her immortality for him, and Merida had always yearned to find a love so strong, but it could not happen if her mother forced it upon her.


	2. The Offer of a Grand Adventure

Merida continued to sulk until she heard a knock at her door, “Come in.” She grouched, rolling onto her stomach, burying her face in her pillow as to not look at her mother, not that one could tell with the way her hair laid.

The door opened and footsteps echoed on the floor until they reached the carpet next to her bed, the clear thuds turning into more of a rough swish. The bed next to her sank and her curls were lifted by…definitely not her mom’s hand. She quickly rolled onto her back, grabbing the dagger under her pillow at the same time, ready to slice the person when her blue eyes met humored grey ones.

“Gandalf!” She cried, launching herself into his arms, the wizard letting out an ‘oof’ as she hit him full force. 

“Hello Merida,” Gandalf smiled, stroking her mass of red hair, “how are you?”

She moaned in remembrance of what her mother had told her that morning, “It’s awful Gandalf! My mother still is trying to find me a suitor for marriage! Now she wants to contact Uncle Elrond and have him send eligible elves to Dunbroch! Elves! Here! My mother is one of the few who don’t look down on dwarves as little wastes of being and the Valar’s blessing! Imagine how these suitors will be! There’s hardly a chance to meet one who views dwarves and Elves as true equals and even if there was there’s no guarantee we would love each other! Also I’m too young to marry, I’m only Sixty-one, not a single beard hair! Will I even have one come in? I don’t know! The rest of my face is Elvish! What if I never get a beard at all? I haven’t even traveled Middle Earth! What if my one is a man? Or living in seclusion? I just want the same chance my father had at finding his one but mum doesn’t understand because father came to her.” Merida bemoaned, slumping again after her hectic rant, taking a series of deep, controlled breaths to gain back the oxygen lost and to bring her anger down.

Gandalf had sat quietly throughout it, stroking her hair and, somehow without her noticing, had lighted his pipe and had started smoking the sweeter tobacco only he seemed to be able to get his hands on. He seemed to think for a minute as he blew smoke into many different shapes before standing, towering over Merida.

“Well Merida, daughter of Fergus and Elinor…how would you like to go on an adventure?”


	3. A Grand Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know that Angus is an English Shire Draught horse but I’m just going to call him a Draught Shire cause Middle Earth not having anything that the word English could come for the naming.. so yeah.

Merida was over the moon, Gandalf was speaking to her mother at the moment. She would have felt pity for him but if anyone could get her out of the castle it was a wizard, especially Gandalf since he is the reason Uncle Elrond didn’t kill father when her initially proposed to mother. From the stories Merida had heard of her uncle, when he was younger his temper rivaled hers even though elves conceal it, they are quite emotional. 

“Because she is no longer a child Elinor! You think she is ready for marriage but you will not even let her partake in the Dwarven Rights of Passage that will lead to her One! She is half dwarf, and you forget that!” 

Elinor reared back, arguing in her deathly quiet voice that Merida couldn’t even hear but then Gandalf spoke again and she felt the room’s temperature drop, “Do not use those petty excuses.”

Merida backed up, she had only seen Gandalf angry once before and she didn’t want to be anywhere near him when he was.

She left out of the servants’ quarters, snagging several items from the kitchen and storage before she snuck down to the stables and got Angus’ bridle to take him for a ride and target practice.

~~~

She rode through the forests, shooting the targets that had been there for so long, she couldn’t remember when they were put up. They were moved every few days to help those practicing archery to be alert. Originally the moves were due to the fact the fear of Mordu was so strong in the peoples’ hearts after he had nearly killed Merida and taken her father’s leg. Now, the targets were for a tradition that Merida knew would never end as long as Dunbroch stood tall, even if the memories of the origin faded.

She asked Angus silently to stop once they reached edge of the Cliffs of Fire and jumped from his back. She was so short in comparison to her loveable oversized Draught Shire. She had not inherited her mother’s height or even her father’s stature. She was barely the height of an average dwarf, which she did not view as fair at all. Her brothers would probably be lucky enough to inherit the height but she would never even have her eyesight level with Angus’ back.

She led Angus to the grassy areas for them to relax and have a lunch. For Angus, she had packed apples, carrots and a half saddle bag of oats. For herself she had snagged several slices of dried beef, a thick slice of cheese and two rolls.

They stayed out for hours, following wisps and hunting animals to replace the provisions Merida would take from the store rooms before her leave for the journey… if not the animals wouldn’t go to waste with the way dwarves ate.

She arrived back at the castle with a few rabbits she had snared, cleaned and gutted them, passing the remains to the dogs as a treat before leaving the kitchens. She had almost snuck to her room when she turned a corner and collided with her father, which would have sent her to the floor if he hadn’t caught her by the shoulders.

“Merida! I was just looking for you.”

“Da! How did the talk go?”

“Yer mum and Gandalf scare me,” Fergus shuddered, “but they did come to an agreement. You will be allowed to go, but I want you to talk to your mom first.”

“I will da,” Merida smiled at her father. Out of her parent’s she had always been close to her father. They had the same mannerisms, habits and personality overall, and since she was the first girl born in the line of Dunbroch in over six known generations, she was adored at birth. Her father had continuously held her when she was an infant and a toddler so she was more than a wee bit spoiled and had always been attached to him. It wasn’t until after Mordu had claimed his leg that Merida learned how to live without her father by her side every moment of the day. He had been in the infirmary so long because of blood loss and infection that Merida wasn’t allowed to see him in that horrible state.

Merida smiled softly at her father, sad she was going to leave him but he would be okay, he needed time to focus on Harris, Hubert and Hamish. She jumped and gave him a kiss on the cheek, scratched by his beard before scurrying off to find her naneth. 

Her mother was at the tapestry Merida had hastily sewn back together barely a year ago and had a look of nostalgia upon her face, a small furrow of her brow was prevalent and made Merida pause and school her features, making the grin that was so large it almost hurt to a small smile, that her mother would prefer as a lady should not be so open.

She put her hand on her mother’s shoulder as she sat, preparing herself for quite the talk.

“Merida…” Elinor sighed, “Do you really feel the need to go? The call?”

Merida knew her mother was referring to the call dwarves got to search for their one, many were driven to madness if they were unable to answer it, “I feel a nudge but I always have to explore, I don’t even know if I will ever find my one and I am in no rush to but how can I find them or have a chance when I am here only meeting princes and sons of lords? Plus there is more to life than love, how can I be a good princess for my people when I don’t experience life as they do?”

Elinor sighed again, looking into the fire, “I know… It’s hard for a mother to let go… but I’ve always known you would leave, your spirit is wild and free, something elves don’t encounter too often.” She smiled softly as she started slowly untangling Merida’s hair to braid, “You’re so much like Fergus. He had traveled for the thrill of the unknown, not his one. You will settle down like him after we wed though.”

Merida smiled at her mother, grin becoming wide again, “Mum, I’ll be okay, I promise. I am as tough as Ada and faster than you and have your skills with the bow. I can protect myself from many dangers.”

Her mum smiled, “I know, but I am allowed to worry, this grey streak is all you, you know.” Elinor stood, composing herself before smiling at Merida, “Shall we pack for you?”


	4. Only the Beginning

Gandalf had stayed with Merida as they rode out of the kingdom after their goodbyes, her little brothers had refused to let Merida go until Gandalf had pointed to a chest filled to the brim with the wizards fireworks. Her mother had clung to her, whispering prayers of her protection while clinging to her as her father had the both of them embraced in a bear hug.

Merida felt pity for her family and a pang at the thought of possibly not seeing them again, but also a buzzing sense of excitement. In a few months’ time she would be facing a dragon that had stolen the Dwarves greatest kingdom and source of wealth. She had never been to Erebor, its destruction happened over a hundred years before her birth after all. However her father had been there merely days before the fall with many of his men for trade. They had seen the dragon pass them by and Fergus had rushed back with his men, meeting Thorin, the prince, and his people covered in burns and desolate after the horrendous attack. 

Thorin and many of his people without relatives in other dwarven cities stayed until many of them were unable to stand the fact Fergus was openly courting an elf. Dis, the princess, and several kinder folk with family in Dunbroch were the only ones of Thorin’s group who treated her mother with respect. Many of the dwarves as a whole were still harboring anger towards the elves though after being denied care by Thranduil.

They had barely made it through Feragon Forest left her alone with vague directions to the shire. It was only a little over a week’s ride on Angus but while Angus was built for battle and strength, Gandalf’s own horse was built for speed and he needed to let their burglar know they were coming. Thorin along with 12 of his kinsmen, and possibly Dain we’re to meet at the burglar’s home in the Shire in nine days time. Merida should beat them by a full day. 

Merida frowned, Dain was the most self-absorbed dwarf she had ever met, and that included the MacIntosh boy. She doubted he would join or provide aide, even if his own men wanted to go. Merida had been the only one in her father’s kingdom willing to go besides her wee brothers, who were much too young, and Master Tice, who had been a wee lamb himself when the dragon attacked. Unfortunately he was blinded as he was driven out of his home due to the smoke and unable to fight. He had married, but he and his dearly departed Lin never had any children who would go to avenge him so Merida had gone and laid down her bow in front of him for his blessing, which he had given.

Master Tice had kept Merida company much while her father was in the hospital wing. His calm voice and excellent story telling was the only thing that soothed Merida enough to allow sleep. He had confessed once to Merida she had reminded him of his sister Tise, who had died in the fires that valar-forsaken day. Merida was honored to fight while representing a very dear friend who thought so highly of her and swore to herself even if she were to die on this adventure her death would be an honorable one.  
She shook off the thought of her own death, stubbornly jutting her jaw out as she breathed in to calm herself. She would not die in vain; at the very least the dragon shall be slain. 

She road on the next four days avoiding any towns and dwellings, preferring to camp in the wild as to she did not want to find herself tongue tied or lying to anyone who asked what her reasons for traveling were. Angus was happy enough with more than plenty to graze and enough apples and have the occasional handful of oats. Merida hunted for rabbits and other small animals so she could keep her supplies as long as possible.

It wasn’t until she was about a two days ride from the Shire that she decided to stop for the night at the Prancing Pony in Bree. She was a full day ahead of schedule and if she was going to be on the road for an additional four weeks minimum she was going to have at least one good lay-in before not even being able to have access to a proper bath, much less bed.

She entered the establishment after getting Angus set up and brushed down for the night. She wove her way through the crowd to the front desk, keeping her hood up to prevent unwanted attention before addressing the innkeeper, “Do you have a room available for the night?”

She got a big grin in return from a big man, “Yes we do! Ol’ Gandalf jus’ left, have you ever seen his fireworks? They’re a site to behold!”

Merida smiled happily in response, “Yes, I have had the opportunity to see them when I was but a wee lass, their colors filled the sky, whether it was day or night.”

The innkeeper agreed as he took her payment and passed her key as she ordered dinner to be sent to her room with an additional coin thrown in for the trouble of the delivery.

That night she ate a grand meal she did not cook and slept soundly after bathing, thrilled for one last chance to enjoy a luxury before the real journey began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next Chapter Merida arrives in the Shire! Now, here is the question… who should she be paired with? Personally I want her with Fili but she would make a cute couple with a few other characters… Who do you want her with? Cause although I want this mostly adventure I do want dashes of romance ;)


End file.
